The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1887-12-08
THE PHOSPHATE INTERESTS.

THE PHOSPHATE INTERESTS.
The joint committee appointed at the
last session to investigate the manage
ment of the phosphate interests, have
submitted bill, Of which the following
is a synopsis:
Section provides that for the con-
slderation, and upon the conditions
hereinafter expressed, the State of South
lowing companies, to wit: the Sea Island
Chemical Company, the Phosphate Min
ing Company, Qimited,) the Coosaw
Mining Company, the Oak Point Mines
and the Farmers Phosphate Company,
and such other persons or corporations
as they may from time to time associate
| with them, and their assigns, the exclu-
sive right to dig, mine and remove
phosphate rock and phosphate deposits
from the phosphate territory belonging
to ana within the jurisdiction of the
State, for and during the term of twenty
years next succeeding the passage of
| this Act.
Section provides that this grant is
wholly conditioned upon the acceptance
of the same by the companies above set
forth within the period Of ninety days
after the passage of this Act, by filing
| their written acceptance of the terms
hereof with the secretary of State, and
the performance of the following duties,
conditions apd Obligations:
l. The parties accepting the grant
agree to pay the State the guaranteed
annual royalty of $l75, 900, and dollar
per ton additional for all rock dug over
l75,0OO tons. If rock goes higher than
six dollars per ton, the companies agree
TO pay the State one-third of tho price
in excess of that sum.
2. The companies must stipulato not
to interfere with navigation
3. The work must be dono systemati-
cally, and reports must regularly be
made, to the Special Agent of the State,
of the operations under the Act.
4. The companies must give good
bond, in the sum of 100000 to insure
their faithful performance of the con
tract.
Section 3 protects the companies from
, any interferencein their work, so long al
they perform their part of the contract
Section provides that if the cOmpa
nies named in the Act do not accept it
terms, other companies or individual
may come in under its torms.
Section 5 provides that the Act shall
go into effect Immediately upon it's ap
{ proval by the Governor, but if it is no
= accepted within one hundred and eight
days thereafter, as above provided,
shall be null and void, and of no effec
whatsoever.
. Senator Talbort, of Edgefeld, ha
. submitted o minority report based on
I raise on the royalty to $l.5O, and OF
about the same scheme as Indicated il
. the above bill.
, FLORENCE COUNTY
y " The people of the eastern section c
9 the State have long been considering tn
- matter of making new county wit
g Florence for its county-seat. The propc
= sition to make this change has been en-
- bodied in bill introduced in the Hous
. several days ago. Pending action on til
II measure, much pains was takon by il
- advocates to present it fully to tho mon
~ bers; SO that most of them were fully
q possession of the facts of the case bofOl
' the bill came mp in tho House. The di
!, cussion on the floor was left, seemingl
- by common consent, to the delegation
- from the three counties actually inte
estcd. These were divided as follow
The Marion delegation was soidly
le favor of it, and the Williamsburg del
10 CATION solidly against it. OF the Da
~ IingtOn deleROtiOu MeSsrs, KershaW an